Portraits in the Museum’s collection of paintings

More than fifty paintings are on permanent display in the Museum, but hundreds more are stored in the repository, and together they form a collection of museum paintings of outstanding significance in the cultural and art history of Riga and the Baltic region.

A large part of the Museum’s collection of paintings consists of portraits depicting notable 17th-20th cent. personalities in the history of the city of Riga: municipal officials – members of the City Council, burgomasters, mayors, district administrators; church officials – pastors and superintendents; representatives of various public organizations – members and eldermen of the Great Guild and Small Guild, heads and honorary members of the Riga Latvian Society; as well as individuals – entrepreneurs, writers, artists, etc. The collection of paintings also includes portraits of personalities significant in the history of the wider region – officials from various countries: Polish and Swedish monarchs, Russian emperors, governors, generals, counsellors and diplomats.

Riga Treasury Board meeting. Latter half of the 17th cent. Author unknown. Canvas, oil. 122 x 183,5 cm. The painting is on view in the Museum’s permanent exhibition.

Portrait of Hans Welsh (1580–1655), Elderman of the Small Guild. 1635. Author Matthias Everdt, (? –1646). Canvas, oil. 66,8 x 64,2 cm.

Portrait of Empress Catherine II of Russia (Екатерина II Великая, 1729–1796). 1762. Author Konrad Lukas Pfandzelt (1716–1786). Canvas, oil. 108,5 x 85,5 cm.

Painter’s self-portrait. About 1795. Author: Franz Gerhard von Kügelgen (1772–1820). Canvas, oil. 58,5 x 45,5 cm. The painting is on view in the Museum’s permanent exhibition.

Portrait of Garlieb Helvig Merkel (1769–1850), enlightener, publicist and writer. Prior to 1897. Author: Julius Gottfried Siegmund (1828–1909). Oil, canvas. 33,5 x 26 cm. The painting is on view in the Museum’s permanent exhibition.

Portrait of Count Ludwig August von Mellin (1754–1835). About 1891. Author: Julius Gottfried Siegmund (1828–1909). Canvas, oil. 73 x 58 cm.

Portrait of Anna Gertrud Wöhrmann (1750–1827). 1821. Author: Ernst Gothilf Bosse (1785–1862). Canvas, oil. 127,5 x 93,5 cm.

Portrait of the Small Guild Eldermen Johann Christian Friedrich Meinhardt (1801-1885), Friedrich Brunstermann (1822–1911) and Wilhelm Jacob Taube (1804-1886). 1887. Author: Julius Gottfried Siegmund (1828–1909). Canvas, oil. 104 x 89 cm.

Portrait of Frīdrihs Grosvalds (1850–1924) , Head of the Riga Latvian Society. Prior to 1878. Author: Jānis Staņislavs Roze (1823–1897). Canvas, oil. 72 x 57,2 cm. The painting is on view in the Museum’s permanent exhibition.

Portrait of George Armitstead, Mayor of the city of Riga (1847–1912). 1913. Author: Janis Rozentāls (1866–1916). Canvas, oil. 132 x 108 cm.